Psalmen 47:7 Kommentar

The scope of this psalm is to stir us up to praise God, to stir up all people to do so; and, I. We are directed in what manner to do it, publicly, cheerfully, and intelligently (Psa 47:1, Psa 47:6, Psa 47:7). II. We are furnished with matter for praise. 1. God's majesty (Psa 47:2). 2. His sovereign and universal dominion (Psa 47:2, Psa 47:7-9). 3. The great things he had done, and will do, for his people (Psa 47:3-5). Many suppose that this psalm was penned upon occasion of the bringing up of the ark to Mount Zion which Psa 47:5 seems to refer to ("God has gone up with a shout"); - but it looks further, to the ascension of Christ into the heavenly Zion, after he had finished his undertaking on earth, and to the setting up of his kingdom in the world, to which the heathen should become willing subjects. In singing this psalm we are to give honour to the exalted Redeemer, to rejoice in his exaltation, and to celebrate his praises, confessing that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. To the chief musician. A psalm for the sons of Korah.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 47 To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Thus psalm is thought by some to be written on occasion of the ark being brought from the house of Obededom to the city of David, to the place he had prepared for it; which was attended with singing and dancing, with shouting, and the sound of a trumpet, Sa2 6:12; but it rather seems to be penned on account of the ascension of Christ to heaven, prophetically spoken of in this psalm; and of the spread of the Gospel, and the conquests it made in the Gentile world upon Christ's ascension; as the whole psalm shows: and even Aben Ezra and Kimchi apply it to the times of the Messiah; and so do some of their most ancient writers, who particularly interpret Psa 47:5 of him, as may be seen in the note upon it.

God reigneth over the Heathen,.... He reigned over Israel under the former dispensation, and now he reigns over the Gentiles under the Gospel dispensation; as appears by the numerous instances of conversion among them in the first ages of Christianity; and by the many churches that were planted by the means of the apostles; and by the destruction of the Roman Pagan empire under the sixth seal, Rev 6:12; and which will still more appear by the destruction of Rome Papal, when all the Heathens shall perish out of the land; and by the fulness and forces of the Gentiles being brought into a submission to him; all which are reasons to sing praises to him; God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness; or his holy throne, which is heaven; on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; on his Father's throne; having done his work on earth he is received up into heaven, and is set down on a throne at the right hand of God, an honour which none of the angels have: he has ceased from his work and entered into his rest, and sits and sees of the travail of his soul; all which is matter of joy to his people, and a reason why they should sing praises; and the rather, since they are set down with him in heavenly places: or this may be understood of his sitting on the throne of judgment to judge the world in righteousness at the last day, it following upon his reign over the Gentiles; though the other sense best agrees with his immediate ascension to heaven.

"For God is the King of all the earth" [Psalm 47:7]. What? And before was He not God of all the earth? Is He not God of both heaven and earth, since by Him surely were all things made? Who can say that He is not his God? But not all men acknowledged Him their God; and where He was acknowledged, there only, so to say, He was God. "In Judah is God known." Not yet was it said to the sons of Korah, "O clap your hands, all you nations." For that God known in Judah, is King of all the earth: now by all He is acknowledged, for that is fulfilled which Isaiah says, "He is your God who has delivered you, the God of the whole earth shall He be called." [Isaiah 54:5] "Sing ye praises with understanding." He teaches us and warns us to sing praises with understanding, not to seek the sound of the ear, but the light of the heart. The Gentiles, whence you were called that you might be Christians, adored gods made with hands, and sang praises to them, but not with understanding. If they had sung with understanding, they had not adored stones. When a man sensible sang to a stone insensible, did he sing with understanding? But now, brethren, we see not with our eyes Whom we adore, and yet correctly we adore. Much more is God commended to us, that with our eyes we see Him not. If with our eyes we saw Him, haply we might despise. For even Christ seen, the Jews despised; unseen, the Gentiles adored.

Since he had said “king,” he went on to say, not only ours but of “all the earth”: the one responsible for some people conquering and others being conquered, as he wishes, no matter from what quarter they mount their charge, how could he not be confessed as king of all? The phrase “sing with understanding” means with a sense of what has been done and keeping in mind the achievements.

Pray as is fitting and without trouble, practice psalmody with understanding and harmony, and you will be like a young eagle soaring in the heights.

We must sing with our intelligences; not only with the spirit (in the sense of sound of our voice) but also with our mind. We must think about what we are singing, lest we lose by distracting talk and extraneous thoughts the fruit of our effort. The sound and melody of our singing must be suitably religious. It must not be melodramatic but a revelation of the true Christianity within. It must have nothing theatrical about it but should move us to sorrow for our sins. Of course, you must all sing in harmony, without discordant notes. One of you should not linger unreasonably on the notes while his neighbor is going too fast; nor should one of you sing too low while another is raising his voice. Each one should be asked to contribute his part in humility to the volume of the choir as a whole. No one should sing unbecomingly louder or slower than the rest, as though for vain ostentation or out of human respect. The whole service must be carried out in the presence of God, not with a view to pleasing people.

Let us, too, lift up our voices by singing or praying in church, so that our adversary, the devil, may depart in confusion at the holy sound. If not in deed, then surely in thought or word the devil usually creeps up to those who are silent or speak of idle, useless matters. When they are singing or praying he can in no way take advantage by his cunning of those whom he sees engaged mentally or vocally in God’s praises.

And he shows that praise is fitting, because He is "God, king of all the earth." And therefore you inhabitants of the earth should sing praises to Him. And he says "of all the earth" -- not of Judea only, or of Greece, but of the whole world. "But sing praises wisely," that is, with discernment. And sing praises not only with the mouth, but with a heart renewed interiorly; because "praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner," as is said in Sir. 15. Likewise, not with a troubled mind. Jas. 5: "Let him pray with an even mind." Likewise, continually. Is. 23: "Sing well, repeat the song frequently."

Praise is given to God for victory, perhaps that recorded (Ch2 20:20-30); and His dominions over all people, Jews and Gentiles, is asserted. (Psa 47:1-9) clap . . . hands . . . people--literally, "peoples," or "nations" (compare Deu 32:43; Psa 18:49; Psa 98:9).